In scientific visualization and computer graphics, volume rendering is a set of techniques used to display a two-dimensional (2D) projection of a three-dimensional (3D) discretely sampled data set. A typical 3D data set is a group of 2D “slice” images acquired by tools such as an X-ray computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a Micro-CT scanner, and/or other tools. Current systems for volume rendering utilize specialized graphics hardware to process the huge amount of data produced by scanners. Typically, an end-user needs access to specialized, expensive, high-end workstations in order to work with and/or volume render the scanned datasets; therefore limiting the use of 3D volume renderings to specialists and particular groups of researchers. This has the effect of dampening the utilization of highly relevant, useful, and/or valuable 3D renderings, for example in medical diagnostics (e.g., cancer detection, neurological studies, research, etc.), engineering, education, and the like.